Hendriks recalls A's era, believes in '21 squad

OAKLAND -- Liam Hendriks couldn’t help but be overcome with nostalgia upon his return to the Coliseum on Tuesday.

The last time the right-hander threw a pitch off the mound in Oakland, he was mobbed by teammates immediately following his strikeout of Nomar Mazara to seal a victory over the White Sox in Game 3 of the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, a punchout that sent the A’s to their first Division Series since 2013. Now he returns for a three-game series against the A’s as a member of that same White Sox club he helped defeat.

"It brings back a lot of memories coming back to this place," Hendriks said. "I spent five years of my career here. It’s where I started moving up the rung of the bullpen, then got ousted because of my own ego and then came back and was able to turn the page to get where I’m at now."

The five-year stretch Hendriks spent with the A’s from 2016-20 was quite the roller coaster. Stuck in low leverage and longman roles for most of his first couple of years with the organization, the right-hander received a major wake-up call in 2018, when he was designated for assignment. After going unclaimed, Hendriks went to Triple-A and returned to the Majors to transform into an eventual All-Star closer in 2019.

Putting together another impressive 2020 campaign, Hendriks entered free agency over the offseason with hopes of re-signing with the A’s. Ultimately, the White Sox came calling with an offer too good to pass up, signing him to a three-year deal worth $54 million.

"I loved my time here in Oakland and I wish it would have been able to continue. But it wasn’t in the cards," Hendriks said. "I’m loving my time in Chicago, but Oakland is always going to hold a special place in my heart for what they were able to give me and what I was able to gain in perspective from that. I’m excited to see how it goes."

Hendriks said he isn’t sure of the type of reaction he’ll get from A's fans, though he’s hopeful it’s a positive one. The connection to his former teammates certainly remains strong, with Hendriks and his wife, Kristi, hitting up a couple of Napa wineries during Monday's off-day with A's left-hander Jake Diekman and utilityman Tony Kemp.

"I think it’s really going to sink in when I actually start warming up or get into a game," Hendriks said. "Or even just walking out and seeing the fans. Just getting a chance to see some of these guys has been really cool."

Though the A’s are going through a rough patch as they entered Tuesday 3 1/2 games back of the second Wild Card spot and having lost 10 of their last 14 games, Hendriks knows better than to count out this Oakland squad. He’s seen firsthand the types of runs this team can put together in a short amount of time, so it wouldn't surprise him if they turn things around in time to sneak into the postseason for a fourth straight year.

"Regardless of what’s happened recently, they’re still a force to be reckoned with," Hendriks said. "That’s something that isn’t going to go away. All they need is a coin flip to land in their own direction and they’ll get rolling. Hopefully, we both get a chance to battle in the playoffs."